FIGS. 38 to 40 show a conventional automatic cassette tape recording and reproducing apparatus disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication Gazette No. 51-20754. FIG. 38 is a top view, FIG. 39 is a left side view and FIG. 40 is a sectional view taken along a line IV X--IV X in FIG. 38.
In FIGS. 38 to 40, reference numeral 1 designates a base plate. A magazine 2 and a deck 3 are mounted on an upper surface of the base plate 1. The magazine 2 is rotatable around a shaft 4 fixed on the base plate 1. Holders 6 for arranging the cassettes 5 are fixed on the magazine 2 in a radial manner around the center of the shaft 4. Reference numeral 7 designates a support formed on the magazine 2 for pivoting the holder 6, reference numeral 8 designates a motor for rotating the magazine 2 through a pulley 9 fixed on a motor axis, belt 10 and a pulley 12 fixed on a pipe shaft 11 which is rotatable around the shaft 4. Reference numeral 13 designates a middle sheet fitted in the pipe shaft 11, on which a projection 15 which is engaged with a cam trench 14 on the pipe shaft 11 is provided. The middle sheet 13 moves in a direction vertical to the base plate 1 along the cam trench 14. In addition, a lever 17 comprising a cam 16 is fixed on the middle sheet 13. The cam 16 can be in contact with a pendent cam driven part 18 provided in the holder 6 when the middle sheet 13 vertically moves. Reference numeral 19 designates a motor for rotating a circular cam 23 through a gear 21 and a transmission gear 22 fixed on the motor shaft to swing the deck 3 around a supporting shaft 20. Reference numeral 24 designates a spring for forcing the deck 3 counterclockwise around the supporting shaft 20, reference numeral 25 designates a lever swinging around a supporting shaft 26, on which a pin 27 which is engaged with a cam surface 23a of the circular cam 23 is fixed, reference numeral 28 designates a crank connecting the lever 25 to the deck 3 and reference numeral 29 designates a reel rest.
Next, operation thereof will be described.
In an initial state, the cassettes are all held by the holders 6 in such a manner that longitudinal sides thereof are vertical to the base plate 1, the pin 27 of the lever 25 is out of the concave part of the cam surface 23a of the circular cam 23, and the deck 3 is pivoted clockwise against the force of the spring 24 (FIG. 39).
When a cassette 5 to be played is selected through an operation button (not shown), the magazine 2 is rotated around the shaft 4 by the motor 8 and the cassette 5 to be played is set at a position A shown in FIG. 40. When the motor 8 is rotated in a reverse direction and in accordance with it, the pipe shaft 11 is rotated in a reverse direction, the middle sheet 13 is moved upward and the cam 16 pushes the pendent cam driven part 18 upward. Then, the holder 6 is rotated in a direction shown by an arrow 30 by 90.degree. around the support 7. As a result, the cassette 5 to be played is set at a position B in FIG. 40. Then, when the circular cam 23 is rotated by the motor 19, the pin 27 on the lever 25 is engaged with the concave part of the cam surface 23a and the lever 25 pivots counterclockwise by force of the spring 24. As a result, the cassette 5 is engaged with the reel rest 29 and prepared for playing.
When another cassette 5 is selected, the motor 19 is rotated first at this time. Then, the pin 27 moves out of the concave part of the cam surface 23a, the deck 3 returns to an initial position and the motor 8 is rotated. Thus, another cassette 5 is selected.
Since the conventional automatic cassette tape recording and reproducing apparatus is structured as described above, mechanisms for driving the magazine 2 and the deck 3 and moving space therefor are necessary. Therefore, the driving mechanism becomes complicated and the number of parts is increased, with the result that there is a limit in reducing the size of the apparatus. Namely, the driving mechanisms for preparing the cassette for playing has to comprise two mechanisms for rotating the magazine 2 and then rotating the holder 6 around the support 7 by 90.degree. and also comprise one mechanism for swinging the deck 3 around the supporting shaft 20. As a result, the driving mechanisms become complicated and the number of parts is increased.
In addition, since the above three operations are performed in the apparatus, moving space therefor is necessary. Thus, there is a limit in reducing the size of the apparatus.
Furthermore, a plurality of cassette tapes can be mounted and they can be automatically recorded on or reproduced from. However, only one deck for recording and reproducing the cassette is provided and therefore, a signal reproducing or editing operation can not be performed between the plurality of the cassette tapes.